Rifle Sights Sighting In Issue with Slug Gun

[c&amagn]

Here's my issue, purchased a new rem-870 20ga. slug gun with a fully rifled barrel. Does anybody know which way to move the rear iron fixed sights when trying to sight this gun in. All of my rifles have scopes and I just haven't tried Iron (rifled) sights in a very long time. The slugs keep shooting High at 50-yards. I moved the rear Iron fixed sight forward about 3 quarters of an inch and it's still shooting high at 50-yards. I don't want to keep wasting sabot slugs for they are not cheap. I havn't tried moving the rear adjustable sight down yet wich was going to be my next move but am just not sure. If I aim at the complete bottom of the target at 50-yards I'm close to the center area so to me it's way off. Any help with which way to move my rear adjustable Iron rifled sight would be great. P.S. I'm shooting Hornady SST Sabot's 2000fps., Ballitic's say the slug doesn't start leveling off until 150-yards on the box and also their HSOforum at Hornady.

[woody1975]

You need to move the rear sight down. This will bring the front of your gun down. If you move the rear sight up, it will cause you to continue to shoot high.

DL

[c&amagn]

Thanks Woody, I'll give that a try. I was just curious as to shooting open sights this year VS. my scoped rifles becuase my stand is in a dense brush area this year, just trying something new this year.

[vister]

basically, move the sights away from the bullet. away with a gun, follow an arrow

[Hammer Handle]

For hunting in the woods, nothing beats on open sight on the shotgun or rifle.

Once you get used to it, you will never go back.

[SmilinBob]

It's as simple as move the rear sight the way you want the bullet to go on the target. Don't complicate it any more than that.

[c&amagn]

Thanks for all the info guys, I'll try moving the rear sight then back towards the receiver end, the opposite way I've been moving it. I hope this helps. I'm hunting a new piece of land this year that is in Rifle Zone but my stand has 3 nice deer trails all within about 40-yards of my stand. It's in a really heavy brush area and just think open sights with the 20ga. sabot setup would do much better than my .270 or 7mm at such a close range as far as balistics and bullet expansion and plowing through all the small brush and twigs etc...

[woody1975]

Remember that nothing will blow through brush. The smallest twig will deflect the bullet and send it on an errant path. Even at close range, the results may not be what your hoping for.

You'd be better off heading out early and cutting a couple shooting lanes.

I'd just hate to see ya miss the big one because of a little brush.

Good Luck

DL

[JDM]

I hunt in the slug zone, but I used to hunt in the rifle zone. I would take the .270 every time over the shotgun. Plus, the way sabots are priced, it is cheaper to shoot a rifle. Rifle ammo is much more consistent and reliable. Sabots have not been perfected. I have killed a lot of deer with them, but if I could use a rifle, I would change in a heart beat.

Woody is right - nothing blows through brush.

[paceman]

I hunt in zone 2 - rifle zone. I too have a stand where trails come very close to my stand. As close as 20 yards and as far as 200. I use my 30-06 with a scope. I have the power set on 4. I cleared out shooting lanes so the brush would not effect the bullet. Last year I shot 4 does there and none were farher than 40 yards, one actually at 15. I would recommend the rifle in a heart beat. The scope is very nice even at close range.

[Hammer Handle]

I guess I am different. My land is on two pieces, one is a rifle zone...one is not.

In either zone, I would take the shotgun when sitting in a stand with a closer shot and no scope. A slug can be just as accurate as a rifle bullet. I also hunt for other game a lot with my shotgun, so it is comfortable to me and I have a lot of confidence in the gun. When deer hunting, that is the main thing.

Go with what you are the most comfortable and confident with.

[c&amagn]

Yea I know a rifle would be much better but sort of like the challenge too, I've taken quite a few deer with my rifles in my days and just want to try out something new. If I don't feel comfortable with how the 870-slug gun shoots this weekend, of course I'll be using one of my rifles.

[bigbucks]

They'll be just as dead at those ranges with either one. I'd definitely use the rifle if I could, but it's partly for the same reason you want to use the shotgun. I've shot about 40 deer with a shotgun & less than 10 with a rifle. It's the fun of using something different partly, although the rifle is a more efficient deer killing machine, the shotgun works great. The percentage of deer that will run after the shot with the shotgun vs. the rifle is higher, but if they're hit where they're supposed to be, they're still dead.

I'd really rather shoot everything with my bow, but the range limitation is too great for me not to use a firearm when I can.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Nothing blows through brush. That is a myth. Use your most accurate weapon. Using an unproven and obviously unsighted slug gun in rifle country when you have a proven rifle seems silly to me.

[WaveWacker]

Keep in mind you can make minor adjustments with the position of your fron sight in relation to the rear sight. For example: Front sight is fully seated so that the bottom of it sits in the bottom of the "groove" of the rear sight and then put the bullseye right on the top of the front sight (actually see the target instead of covering it up). That is the way that I shoot the open sights on my rifle. You just have to remember how you have your sight placement.

[icehousebob]

Someone stated earlier that iron sights are faster to use than a scope in wooded areas and I have to respectfully disagree. With some practice, a low powered scope is much better for the thick stuff. I had this discussion with a guy once so we tested it to see who could get off three hits the quickest. He fired his much faster than I did, but unfortunately, none of his had hit the target. Snap shooting at moving deer quite often results in using a coarse sight picture and you end up shooting too high. My slug gun scopes are 1&1/2 to 4 power variables and are set on the lowest setting.

[Scott K]

Ya what icehousebob said!

[Muddog]

Good job on going with the 20ga.

You will find that the 20bore will out shoot the 12ga, at long range 150-200yds. Yes with the right (sabot) round a 20ga can do it. Put a scope on it!